


A Diamond And Pearl Duet

by weedle_writes_gay_stuff



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Oneshot, Other, Pearl is a good gay mum, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:53:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26951698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weedle_writes_gay_stuff/pseuds/weedle_writes_gay_stuff
Summary: After the whole monster incident, Steven needs to have a heart-to-heart- or perhaps a gem-to-gem- with Pearl. A little angsty with a happy ending oneshot (a day late) for World Mental Health Day, set fairly soon after I Am My Monster.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19





	A Diamond And Pearl Duet

Steven looked down at the living room carefully from the stairs, seeing no one around but Pearl, quietly fiddling with her guitar, her fingers moving and feeling out the strings as if working out a tune while trying carefully not to strum hard enough to play a note in case she woke Steven from his nap. 

He sighed quietly, clenched his shaky hands into fists and walked downstairs awkwardly. “Hey, Pearl,” he smiled half-heartedly.

“Oh, hello Steven!” she piped up. “I hope you had a nice nap. Don’t mind me, I’ve just had a bit of musical inspiration. I won’t actually play it if you want to go back to sleep or anything, don’t worry!”

“Thanks,” Steven replied, putting the kettle on the stove and grabbing his new froggy mug to add some cocoa to it. “Um… Pearl, can we talk?” he mumbled quietly.

“Of course,” she replied, her tone softening and her smile fading a little. She patted the seat on the sofa next to her, and Steven moved to sit down, resting his head on her shoulder. Pearl set down the guitar, and said softly, “What do you need to talk about?”  
“I… I know it’s silly, but I want to talk about mom-” Steven started.

“Steven, don’t you wanna wait to talk to the ther-” Pearl cut him off, but she noticed Steven’s exasperated, teary-eyed expression, and realized what he was getting at. “Oh. You need to talk to me about it, huh?” Steven nodded, and she stroked his hair comfortingly.

Steven smiled gratefully, and then began to let it out. “It’s like, I know if mom had never done what she did, none of us would be who we are today, and Homeworld would still be ruled by force by the Diamonds and I wouldn’t even be here at all,” he started. “But she did so much stuff that hurt people, and even if I know you and pretty much all the gems I know and all the people I know love me, I guess I still feel guilty for it.”

“It’s OK to feel bad about the past, Steven,” Pearl replied, looking him square in the eyes as she spoke. “Do you think I don’t feel guilty about wanting to take out your gem when you were a baby to bring Rose back, or almost getting us both killed going to space, or making Connie feel worthless when I was training her, or any of the other mistakes I made?” Steven shook his head. “Exactly.”

“So I should just accept that stuff was horrible and get over it, because everyone feels like that?” mumbled Steven dejectedly.

“No! I’m trying to say, I know how you feel,” explained Pearl. “But that stuff doesn’t define who you are unless you let it, and neither of us have to let it. It’s easy to feel like you’re a horrible person because you hurt people, or for things you used to think. But me and all your friends know you aren’t a horrible person for anything you’ve done, let alone things Rose or Pink did.”

“Thanks, Pearl,” Steven replied, hugging her tightly. Pearl hugged him back, and as he broke the hug, he admitted, “I, uh… I think I need to say more stuff, but I dunno how to put it.”

“Fair enough,” Pearl smiled, putting a supportive hand on his shoulder. “Take all the time you need.” Steven got up, poured the water from the kettle into the froggy mug, added a little milk and sat back down with it.

Pearl picked up her guitar, and started strumming the tune she’d been thinking of. Steven watched her with tears still in his eyes, felt a pang of pride… and then a twinge of guilt replaced it, and he looked away awkwardly. Pearl stopped playing, and asked quietly, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s stupid, never mind,” Steven answered, sobbing. He looked up at Pearl, and saw her expression had turned a little sterner at his evasiveness. “OK, um… I guess I feel bad because I felt just then like I’m being just like mom!”  
“How do you mean?” asked Pearl, a little bewildered.

“Because, you know, mom helped make you rebel against Homeworld and stuff, and I helped make you be better friends with dad and take up guitar, so I feel like… part of me is telling me that you’re only behaving like this because of me, that I’m controlling you!”

Pearl laughed a little at that, but stopped herself when she realized how distraught Steven really was and hugged him tightly. “Sorry,” she said softly. “I didn’t mean to laugh like that, but I don’t think you understand. That’s not controlling people, that’s inspiring people! That was one of the best things about your mom, and it’s one of the best things about you!”

Steven looked up at her, still teary-eyed but shocked by what she’d said. “What?”

“Your mom did a lot of things that hurt people, we all know that,” acknowledged Pearl. “But obviously she did a lot of good too, right?” Steven nodded. “You would never try and deny she hurt people, and you’ve done so much to try and help the people she hurt. If you weren’t the person you are, your father and I would probably still be on awful terms, and I never would’ve moved on from losing Rose. It’s OK to be proud of yourself for achieving things like that as well as guilty for the bad things your mom did. I know I’m proud of you for it.”

For some reason, hearing that hit Steven harder than almost anything else Pearl had said. “You’re proud of me?”

“So proud I can’t even put it into words,” Pearl smiled.

“Well, I’m really proud of you too,” Steven replied, hugging her tighter.

“Thanks, Steven,” she chuckled. “I think if you hug me any harder, I might poof, though!” she teased.

Steven chuckled, and let her go. “Just a sec,” he smiled. “I have an idea.” He rushed upstairs, dug out his ukulele and returned to sit next to her. “Are you up for a duet?” he grinned.

“I have a better idea,” Pearl smiled, and took his hand as she stood him up from the sofa. She guided him in a familiar set of steps, and the two giggled as a glowing light filled the room.

A few moments later, a skinny fusion with pale purple hair, a fancy jacket and a familiar shirt and shorts was stood where the two of them had been. They hugged themself and smiled. “I think this is something else I’m grateful for,” Rainbow 2.0 chuckled. They questioned their meaning, and it dawned on them a moment later- without Steven being who he was, and Pearl being who she was, they would never exist.

Picking up Pearl’s guitar, they eagerly strummed out the chords Pearl had come up with earlier, and found that they were really enjoying it. They threw in a few extra notes and parts to complement it spontaneously. “Wonder where those are coming from,” they murmured to themself jokily as they played.

After going on for something like 8 minutes, they set it down and sat on the couch, giggling messily and unfusing. Steven picked himself up and smiled as he saw Pearl still laughing. She looked up at him happily, and said, “Do you understand now?”

“Yeah,” grinned Steven, “I think I do.” The two hugged again, this time with no tears or anxieties, just reassured love. “You know, I still think you’re pretty great,” Steven said softly.

“I think you’re pretty great too,” replied Pearl.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy (late) World Mental Health Day everyone! If you’ve got things you need to talk about with a loved one you trust, please try and do it, if they care about you they’ll try and support you. (Also, just in case any creeps are reading this, this is NOT a ship fic- Pearl is a good lesbian mum who's just supporting her recovering adopted son!)


End file.
